It's not always easy to follow the NHL, personally or professionally — there are lockouts and concussions and a long, long list of other gripe-worthy stuff — but the good certainly outweighs the bad.

The league's best is on display in the way it strives for equality, tolerance and compassion for LGBT athletes. Commissioner Gary Bettman, as part of TSN's "ReOrientation" series on changing attitudes towards homosexuality in professional sports, spoke about the NHL's efforts to promote tolerance and end homophobia, which includes a partnership with You Can Play, an advocacy group dedicated to doing just that. All 30 teams have now lent public support to the cause.

"I don't view it as being in the forefront. I view it as doing the right thing," Bettman said. "If we're a leader in that regard, so be it, but the fact is, when there are important social issues, we want to make sure that we as a family, the NHL family, are all doing the right thing."

"It's really more a function of the attention this subject is getting throughout society, and we're no different in that regard."

Part of the NHL's plan is advising personnel on the issue, and dealing with players who make mistakes — like, say, using homophobic slurs. That doesn't necessarily mean punishment, Bettman said; the last player suspended for something in that realm was James Wisniewski in 2010. The focus is on education.

"This is about consciousness-raising for those people who need it," he said. "When you want people to do the right thing, you don't just have them do that by threatening them with punishment."

"If you're going to administer justice in a fair and appropriate way, you need to know the facts and circumstances of every case, but it's not something that will be tolerated."

And it shouldn't be.

A couple other items from Bettman's interview with TSN analyst (and former NHL defenseman) Aaron Ward:

— A few players have stopped short of condemning Russia's anti-gay laws in the run-up to the Sochi Olympics, but the vast majority, to some degree, have done the right thing when asked. That, essentially, is the league's official position.

"Obviously we think the law is wrong, as I think most of the world does, and I think there have been clear, unequivocal statements condemning the law from all constituent groups, including us," Bettman said. "And I think it's our obligation to make clear that we don't think it's right."

— The NHL is the only major American professional sport that hasn't had a current or former player come out. That's a little incongruous, but Bettman added context.

"We have the right structure to help if that's what they want," Bettman said. "In the final analysis, that's an individual choice."